Birmingham’s binmen have been ‘blacklisted’ and ‘victimised’ because of the bitter strike dispute, Unite chief Len McCluskey has claimed ahead of a weekend rally.

It comes after staff were issued with warnings over their 'work to rule' policy of returning to bin depots for tea and lunch breaks. Which between the three hours of strike action means, according to council sources, some spend very little time emptying bins.

The council has also revealed it has taken 31 disciplinary investigations against binmen between the start of the strike on June 30 and September 6. The council says the cases range from informal inquiries to gross misconduct cases and that most were still unresolved last week.

Meanwhile the union has accused the city council of acting ‘dishonourably’ in trying to break the long-running industrial action after going back on a controversial ‘deal’ offered by ex-leader John Clancy .

Unite the Union leader Len McCluskey.

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Mr McCluskey, who will speak at a rally in support of the binmen on Sunday, said: “The sense of betrayal among Birmingham’s long serving refuse workers runs deep. They do not want to see rubbish piled up in the communities in which they live and serve. They want to get back to work and get back to serving the households and people of Birmingham.

“It is clear that Birmingham City Council does not want to allow that to happen. Instead, the council seems hell bent on engaging in industrial sabotage by reneging on a deal that settles this dispute and attempting to victimise workers for taking lawful industrial action and adhering to health and safety agreements.

“Birmingham city council should be under no illusion. Unite will not allow its members to be victimised, blacklisted or starved back to work.

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Birmingham bin strike - Week 11

“We urge the council to honour the agreement it made at Acas and end the misery its dishonourable actions have inflicted on its own employees and the good people of Birmingham.”

The union has accused the council of taking vindictive disciplinary action against members who are taking legitimate strike action and following health and safety rules by returning to depots for rest breaks, under their work to rule. They say the action amounts to a ‘blacklist’ of striking staff.

Council sources say that all binmen have been written to warning them to ensure they are productive when on duty - outside the strike hours - and that wipes are issued to workers so they do not need to return to the depot for breaks. They took breaks out on the streets before the strike began.

A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: “We fully recognise the right of employees to take part in industrial action.

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“However, when this action goes beyond what the union has a mandate for (currently three daily stoppages of one hour), we have a duty to citizens to address the partial performance.

“We are very aware of the concerns from households about uncollected refuse. In taking this action we are reminding our employees of what is expected of them as part of our effort to deliver efficient and cost-effective services for taxpayers.”